Garden Youth Volunteers are Planting a Seed for the Future

by Nicki, Children’s Garden Educator, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

Seeds for sale!

We added something new to this year’s Fall Plant Sale, did you notice?  The Service Learning Program volunteers had a booth and sold seeds that they had collected in the Children’s Garden throughout the summer with the help of the Youth Volunteer Program volunteers. The youth volunteers sorted, counted, and packaged four different varieties; Fernleaf Dill (Anethum graveolens), Klondyke Cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus), Love in a Puff (Cardiospermum halicacabum), and Love in a Mist (Nigella). We made sure to pick our more resilient plants that were tried and true. We researched seed count, pricing, and packaging to make sure our seeds were priced fairly and had accurate growing instructions.

We worked only Saturday since the volunteers were in school during the first day of the sale (Friday). Saturday was overcast and windy; a warm cup of tea was a nice way to kick-off to our shift at the Fall Plant Sale.  Vivien, Coly, and I had a tea party with the loose-leaf Nettle tea I purchased from a vendor booth.   We were in good company: there were a lot of fun and interesting booths at the sale; an Ayurvedic herbal medicine stand and a unique terrariums booth piqued our interest. We also had a fun time hanging out with some other volunteers we had never met. We were blown away with their Latin language skills and words of encouragement. You never know what other talents a Garden volunteer might have!

Youth Volunteers selling seeds at the Fall Plant Sale.

The youth volunteers took turns between working the register and answering botanical questions about our seeds and from those curious to learn more about the volunteer programs the Garden has for youth. William helped count out the register and close up shop at the end of the day. We did it!  Our first time at the Plant Sale rocked!  We raised $66 for the Garden, to help support the Garden’s educational mission. Don’t worry, if you missed it will be back at the Spring Plant Sale (save the date: May 1, 2, & 3)  with seed packets as well as herb transplants we will start up in the Children’s Garden greenhouse.

The Children’s Garden seeds will also be for sale at the Garden Shop while supplies last.